In one of the more ridiculous stories in the tennis world in some time, Wimbledon officials are cracking down on non-white underwear.
New York Times freelancer Ben Rothenberg picked up on a trend at the popular tennis tournament, in which officials would go on court to check the color of players underwear.
I've never been more popular among British reporters here than when I started talking about underwear…here's the first check… #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/rrppYa2eoE
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 13, 2017
If they were too colorful, players (like poor Jurij Rodionov) were asked to change them into something less noticeable.
…and here was the supervisor who came out to look at his underwear yet again. He (Jurij Rodionov) then left court to change. #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/rU1q7tpqDo
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) July 13, 2017
So what’s the deal? Well, Wimbledon club rules have a policy regarding players underwear. Basically, if it’s visible through shorts, then it’s got to be changed. Here is the official rule per the Wall Street Journal.
The club’s rule states: “Any undergarments that either are or can be visible during play (including due to perspiration) must also be completely white except for a single trim of colour no wider than one centimetre (10mm)”.
All white everything, apparently.
This is exactly the kind of crap that makes people dislike tennis’ ‘holier-than-thou’ rules. At least in other sports, this rule would be unwritten. It’s hilarious that officials will go to the court and make a player change their freaking underwear to ensure that proper guidelines and regulations are met.
My message to tennis players is keep wearing your own choice of underwear until an official tells you otherwise. That rule stinks.
